Motion-picture film control device



March 9, 1948. A. RASKIN ET AL v 7,

MOTIQB PICTURE FILM CONTROL DEVICE Filed! s t. 20, 1945 Patented Mar. 9, 1948 tihiiihfi S'ihihfi PATENT DFFICE MOTION-PICTURE FILM CONTROL DEVICE Archie Raskin, Englewood, N. J., and Irving Fox and Herman Puls, New York, N. Y.

Application September 20, 1945, Serial No. 617,522

2 Claims. 1

In the feeding of motion picture film to and from projectors and other handling apparatus, it is necessary to guide and control the film in its movements and the present device relates more particularly to the control of film in the projection of images therefrom, that is to say the present device will ordinarily be carried by a projection machine.

A characteristic of the present device is the provision of a switch actuating lever adapted to be thrown into and out of action by both manually operated guide-roller control means and by the film itself, as when at the end of the filmimage sequence the lever comes into register with a clearance or notch cut in one margin of the film.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating an embodiment of the invention, the manually operated cam-lever being down and the guide rollers lying in active position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the elements in the same position as in the preceding figure, the switch lever having its lower end in position as when moved outwardly by a switch rod projected outwardly by a spring in a circuit-opening movement.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the upper portion of the device as illustrated in Figure 1, with the cam-lever moved downwardly part way but sufiicient to separate the guide rollers for convenient threading of the device with film, the switch lever also having been moved outwardly from the line of movement of the outer edge of any film received by the device.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the upper portion of the device in the same position of the elements as in the preceding figure.

It will be noted that Figures 2 and 4 are at right angles relatively to Figures 1 and. 2.

The specific switch mechanism forms no part of the present invention and is not illustrated in detail. It may be employed to control an electric circuit through a motor drive for the projection machine, or it may have other single or duplex functions, as, for example, the throwing into action of an associate projecting machine at the end of a film-projecting operation of a first machine to which the device is applied.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment therein shown consists of a box-like member I which encloses the electric switch mechanism, the latter not being shown except for a rod makeand-break member 2, Fig. 2, and the end of a 2 sleeve 3a, 3b, respectively, in which the rod is guided. The box I is provided with a bracket yoke 3 adapted to receive an arm 4 which will be carried by the projecting machine (not shown) and by means of which the device as a whole will be attached to such machine.

In register with rod 2 is a switch lever 5, the latter being pivoted at 6 between two ears 9 carried by box I. Above its pivotal point switch lever 5 is extended first in a straight line and then is curved inwardly to provide a cam-like area, thence the lever is straight to its end, the latter receiving a roller I for engagement by one side edge of any film carried by the device.

Carried by box I and projecting upwardly is a rigid frame member Ix, and a stud bearing-member carried thereby receives a large flanged film roller II, the stud being shown at I0. Mounted to slide up and down on frame member la: is a roller-carrying yoke I2 which at its upper end is provided with divergent arms which receive hearing studs I3 on which are molmted film engaging rollers I4.

Carried by yoke I2 is a horizontal finger I5 which normally lies immediately under the camlike area of switch lever 5 ready to swing that lever when the yoke is raised.

The yoke is raised by engagement of finger l5 by a cam I6 on a shaft I'I having an operating handle I8, the shaft being adapted to oscillate within a bracket sleeve I9 on the box I. Below its divergent arms which carry rollers I4 the yoke I2 is formed as a thick plate channeled out at one face to receive the vertical frame extension Ix of the box I. Therefore the outer face of the frame extension la: is covered by the yoke, and said covering area carries a stud engaged by a spiral spring, the stud being indicated at 20 and the spring at 2I. The lower end of the spring is connected to a stud 22 on the box I.

It may be assumed that the switch mechanism of the present embodiment is such that when the end of switch lever 5 is moved outwardly of switch rod 2 the latter will operate a switch within box I to cut out the projecting machine to which the device is directly applied and cut in a second projecting machine. Thus it will be seen that if roller I rides upon an edge of the film in such manner that switch lever 5 is held with its lower end inward, switch rod also will be held inward against the pressure of a light spring which may be applied thereto. If then the roller meets a notch or cut-away portion of the film edge switch lever 5 will have movement to release switch rod 3 2. Also when threading the guide rolls, upward movement of handle l8 will bring finger l against the cam area of switch lever 5 and will swing that lever while at the same time raising the yoke to separate the rollers M from thelarger roller II.

It will be understood that the yoke connection between the vertical frame member and the rollers i4 is but one method of a relatively movable connection for the rollers and that various changes in form and arrangement of elements may be made without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a motion picture control device and in combination with an electrical switch and a carrier therefor, of a frame member supported by the carrier, a film guide roller carried by the frame member, a yoke device slidably mounted on the frame member, a pair of film guide rollers carried by said yoke device for coaction with the first named roller, a pivoted lever, a fourth film engageable roller carried by said pivoted lever, and said lever having one end operatively in register with an actuating member of the electrical switch, and manually operable means for simultaneously swinging the switch lever and sliding the yoke device.

4 2. In a motion picture control device and in combination with an electrical switch and a carrier therefor, of a film guide roller on said carrier, a slide on said carrier, a pair of film guide rollers carried by the slide for coaction with the first named roller, a pivoted lever on the carrier, a fourth film engageable roller on one end of the pivoted lever, said lever having one end operatively in register with an actuating member of the electrical switch and having an intermediate area formed as a cam, and a manually operable device for simultaneously engaging said cam area of the lever to swing the latter and for actuating the slide.

ARCHIE RASKIN.

IRVING FOX.

HERMAN PULS.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,138,744 Garros May 11, 1915 1,782,470 Heisler Nov. 25, 1930 2,061,793 De Luca Nov. 24, 1936 2,178,242 Runge Oct. 31, 1939 2,369,089 Thomas Feb. 6, 1945 

